1. Field
This invention relates to bicycle lighting systems and methods and, more particularly, to an illumination ring couplable to a bicycle wheel, systems for coupling the illumination ring to the bicycle wheel and methods of providing illumination on a bicycle.
2. Related Art
The two most frequent causes for the 52,000 reported bicycle accidents in 2008 were collisions with motor vehicles (58%) and individual falls (30%). Of the 716 reported fatalities, 69% occurred in urban areas and 39% were between the hours of 5 p.m. and midnight. Nearly 70% of all nighttime bicycle-car collisions are due to inadequate side visibility.
Bicycle lights are used by many bicycle riders to improve their safety and/or visibility. Bicycle lights contribute to rider safety in two ways: lighting and sighting. Lighting allows riders to safely navigate at night by illuminating their forward path. Sighting increases the rider's visibility, which signals their presence and location to those sharing the road.
Currently, no bicycle light provides both sufficient lighting and sighting. Most bicycle lights are positioned on the bicycle handlebars and provide light on the ground in front of the bicycle. These lights, however, project light from the handlebars to a particular spot on the ground or directly in front of the rider and do not provide adequate lighting or sighting because they only project light in one direction and only illuminate a limited spot in front of the rider. Reflective bicycle lights are also sometimes positioned on the back of the bicycle so that others can see the rider from behind; these lights, similarly, only project light in one direction. Furthermore, neither the handlebar lights or reflective back lights provide side lighting (i.e., inadequate sighting from the side of the bicycle). Thus, there is a need for improved bicycle lighting systems.